Car-coupler-lock-lifter safety attachment



April 3, 1928. 1,664,982

S. L. JOINER CAR COUPLER LOCKvL'IFTER SAFETY ATTACHMENT Filed July 28, 1927 31a/vanto@ aan,

Summe Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES SYLVESTER L. JOTNER, OF MCGREGOR, TEXAS.

CAR-COUPLER-JOCK-LIFTR SAFETY ATTACHMENT.

Application ined July 2s, 1927. seriai No. 209,078.

lThe invention relates to a car-coupler lock lifter safety attachment.

It has been found by experience with the American Railway Association D coupler that the shoulder provided at therear edge of the lower end of the lock lifter to prevent the lock lifter from dropping too far in time becomes worn and that the lock lifter when worn drops into the coupler head'a sutlicient distance to cause the worn shoulder to catch on the interior wall of the dra-w head`v and prevent upward movement of the lock lifter and the unlocking of the coupler f head. Vfhen this takes place loss of time, Vinconvenience and frequently damage to the car coupler results before the coupler can be unlocked or disconnected from the coupler head of the car to which it is coupled.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practical, and efficient safety attachment for lock lifters of the saidtype `of coupling adapted when applied to a lock lifter to move freely in its :locking and unlocking movements and cap-able of effectually limiting the downward movement of the lock lifter after the latter becomes worn in use and of supporting a Worn lock lifter in proper operative position wit-hout liability of being accidentallyv lifted by the inward and outward movement of the coupler head.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a car coupler lock lifter safety attachment of this character adapted tov fit closely the top of the coupler head-and `capable of forming a partial cap to cover the opening for the lock lifter and of excluding kmuch of thedust, dirt, snow, ice and the like which would otherwise enter the said opening and affect the lubricant which is usually supplied to the interior of the couplings and cause increased wear of the parts.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a carcoupler lock liftersafety attach-y ment which may be readily applied to car couplers on cars in use, without necessitating the removal of the releasing mechanism for operating the lock lifter.

Another object of the invention is toy provide a simpler form of the lock lifter attachment designed to be applied to lock lifters either when the releasing or operating mechanism is disconnected or before the same is applied to the lock lifter.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompany-ing drawings, andset forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, size, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. Y

In the drawings: 1

l `igiiie l is a longitudinal sectional view of a car coupler of the D type provided with a lock lifter safety attachment constructed in accordance ywith this invention. e

Fig. 2 is a similar viewV of a D coupler sho-wing the manner in which a worrrlifter drops below its normal position.'

F ig. 3 isa plan view of the lifter attachment, vpartly inr section. p

Fig. 4 is a front end vyefwwofthje same.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a simpler form of the invention. I y j Fig. 6 lis a transverse'sectional view of the same. y

In 'the accompanying drawings, in which are illustrated the preferred embodiments of the invention, 1 designates a car coupler lock lifter attachment arranged upon the top of a D coupler 2 andk provided with-a tapered opening .3 receiving and conforming lto the cross sectional configuration ofthe lock lift er l of the said coupler. he coupler illusA trated in the accompanying drawings is the American Railway Association D coupler, suchas is illustratedrin PatentNo. 1,542,- 303, dated June 16, 1905. The opening 3 tapers forwardly and the front end wall is curved-and the rear end of the said open` ing 3 is normally closed by a transverse bolt 5 provided at one end with .a head 6 and secured in aligned openings 7 of the, rear ends of the sidesof fthe safety attachment by a cotter pin 8 whichris 4passed through a perforation 9 in the bolt 5, but any other suitable fastening means may, of course, be employed, as will, be readily understood, and a yrotarysleeve l() 'is mounted on the bolt 5 between the sides of the lifter attachment to prevent binding of the lock lifter against the bolt and wear of either of the parts.

The lock lifter attachment rests upon the top of the D coupler and is curved in cross section to present a concave lower face 1l to fit tightly against and conform to the configuration of the convex upper face or f Y shoulder "13.

crown of the top of the D coupler. The lock lifter attachment is of a thiclrness to receive and support the nncouplmg lever or release rigging 12 before thelock,lifteizrivears sufiici'ently to permit the shoulder 13 of the lock `lifter to` pass beneath the short lock 'down lock 14 of the car coupler. The thickA ness of the lock lifter safety attachment@ lifter attachmentto permit a lifting ont of the car coupler before the wear of the parts is snfficientto canse the nnconpling` lever or release rigging 12 to rest `upon the lock lifter attachment,` but `it will be readily apparent that the thickness may be increased to the eXtentlof cansing the nnconpling lever or release rigging 12 to rest upon the device and prevent any increased downward move-- ment of the loclz'lifter through wear of the In "the forni of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings, in

which the removable bolt 5 is employed,` the devices may be readily attached to cars in use without removing any of the lrelease rigging.

In the form ofthe inventionillustrated 1n `Figs. `5 and 6 of the drawings, a simpler form of the device is shown. In this ,form

of the invention, the device consists of a platefor member 15 provided with a tapered opening 16 which is closed at both ends by integral portions of the plate or member. This form of the lock lifter attachment is curved in cross section to present alower cnrved face 17 to the-'convex` upper face or `crown of the car coupler, and the said ldevice is applied to the lock lifter when the i nnconpling `or release rigging is removed from the lock lift-er. i-Usefthis form of the device "might be applied `to the lock lifters of car couplers before the iinconpling lever or release riggingns assembled. The lock lifter vattachmentsV are designed to be constrnctedof drop forged steel, malleable iron, i orother 'strong material, and they aiccapable of a limitedsliding niovenicntfonthe coupler `head Without any tendency to raise `the lock lifter and they do not in any manner interfere withthemovement of the lock lifter. As the construction and operation of the D coupler of the American Railway Association is Well understood, and is devscrib'edgin the `aforesaid patent, a specific description of the same is deemed imneces-- sary."r i

`What is'claimed is: f

Y1. Alock lifter attachment for car couplers comprising afmember having an opening to receive and permit free independent movement ofthe `lock lifter of a cai' coupler, said member being adapted to restnpon the top of the coupler head and arranger-ltoreceive and support the rel-ease rigging to limit the downward movementof the lock lifteiz 2. Aflock lifter attf-ichmentfor4 car' Conplers comprising ay member havingia-n opening lto receive and permit free independent movement ofthe lock lifter of a car coupler, said member being" adapted to rest'npon the top of the coupler head and arranged to receive and Asnppoi'tthe release rigging to limit the downward movement vof the lock lifter, and being curved to'present a concave "lower'face to the coupler face and forming a proper support forjtlie4 `lock lifter opening ofthe coupler head.

Y 3. A lock lifter attachment for car coin, plers comprising `-a ilock lifter attachment 4member Ehaving an opening to "receive the lock 'lifter' and `Vpermit 'free independent movementV thereof,` said opening extending to the rear end of the `attachment' member j te 'permit the `attachment to be appliedy to tlie'lock lifter =Withont removingthe release rigging,r and a removable transverse locking device extendingacross the said opening and `confiningtheattachinent on the lock lifter. y y f 4. A lock lifter attachment for carroulto present a concave lower facetothe upper face of the coupler; p f V l y In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand. 1

. sYfLvEsrnn L. JoiNnn.

plers `comprising" a. lock `lifter attachmentv memberhaving anopenmg to receive the 

